This book can definitely be read as a stand alone as it's mostly about the two main characters. Nero has a strange ripped from the headlines kind of background. His childhood was pretty much non existent and the tragic event from then has shaped him to who he is now. He's a prisoner in his own house. Even worse pretty much stuck in just a few rooms in that house. Then he gets a new assistant when Phoebe applies. Phoebe is not easily scared of him and presents a challenge for Nero. Phoebe has her own family issues. Her parents have never really been there for her. She just been someone they used and didn't appreciate. Then she met a man who really was a distraction from that and even though her life was better it wasn't what she deserved. For two years that man, her fiance has been in a coma after a terrible car accident. Money problems associated with that is what brings her to Nero's doorstep. This book in a little intense. Nero is NOT a likable character in the beginning of this book. It's takes a long time and slow change to like him. Phoebe is tough as nails but she's losing the battle of keeping it together. Nero is the finally the man who breaks her. They end of being there for each other like no one has ever been for them before. I didn't think i was going to enjoy this book but i did. At times it was little out there but something made me keep with it and keep drawn in. I think it was because there was no way to see how the story was going to go. An interesting read! Loved the ending.

Find out more about this series and Jackie Ashenden here www.jackieashenden.com

Similar to the last book in this series, Jackie Ashenden has created an unusual plot for a romance novel. In this novel, we meet Phoebe who desperately needs a job to earn enough money to pay for her fiance's hospital care. Her fiance has been in a coma for two years and Phoebe is still in love with him. Not your normal scenario for a romance novel. Nero on the other hand is not very likable. He is a demanding, arrogant, boss who wants Phoebe available 24/7, even if its just to get him coffee at 3 am. But Phoebe needs the money so she stays. With a hero that is difficult to like and a heroine who is "taken" you have to wonder where the story will go. However, it definitely works even if it is out of the ordinary and a different take on Beauty and the Beast.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this novel.

This is another great story from this author. Nero is a very complicated character who meshes well with Phoebe as they both battle some childhood scars.

3.5 Stars!

This story was more heartbreaking than I was expecting. We got a glimpse of Nero in the first book and I was really looking forward to his story. He came off as a moody, dominant man that was a bit mysterious. I wasn't really expecting him to be such a jerk. All he cared about was what he wanted and he expects everyone around him to comply. He's been through so many assistants that word has spread and no one wants to work for him despite the generous salary. Except Phoebe.

Phoebe has a fiancé that has been in a coma for 2 years and she needs funds fast to keep up with his care. Phoebe has had a bit of a sad upbringing. Her mom had her to replace her dead sister. Her father never wanted her. She leaves them when Charles came into her life. She was hoping this was a chance for her to live a life with Charles when he gets into an accident putting him in a coma. Now she needs to make money fast and her chance comes when she interviews with Nero.

As the story progresses, we start to learn why Nero is such a hard man. It's a heartbreaking tale and a Phoebe is peeling back the layers one piece at a time. By the end of the book I loved Nero. I understood why he was such a hard man and I loved seeing Phoebe bring out the man he truly is. It wasn't what I was expecting and I didn't care for Nero in the beginning but it ended beautifully.

ARC provided by NetGalley.

Nero has everything except an assistant who will work with him for longer than a few days. He's blunt, wants total obedience, and has a hidden past that defines who he is. Phoebe needs a job and even though she's heard about Nero the salary he's paying will help her immensely. Nero has never met anyone like her and begins to know what it's like to care for someone other than himself. I really liked this story!

This author has become one of my favorite and a go-to for sizzling romantic suspense. I've referred her to the romance talk show host in our network for interviews and have already purchased her other books for my own pleasure.

What would you do for love? Would you try to conquer your darkest demons? Would it be worth it? What if you weren't sure, what would it take to convince you to try?

Nero has reasons for being the way he is. Yes, he's very arrogant and doesn't care. Doesn't care about anything really. He's obscenely rich, gorgeous and has people at his beck and call. What would it take for him to realize that his way isn't always the best way? What would it take for him to be a better man?

Phoebe is a people pleaser, great at her job and needs money, a lot of it and fast. What would she do it for it? Will she be able to teach a man what it's like to have love in his life? That not everyone is out for themselves and what it's like to give?

It's an emotional book and you can definitely feel what the characters are going through. Your heart will break a little with theirs along the way.

This is the second book of this series that I've read and UGH I WISH THERE WERE A MILLION MORE TO READ. Sorry, is that a little too aggressive? Whatever. I was PUMPED when I saw this ARC and read it in basically one sitting. Nero is an asshole. Phoebe is lost in herself. Together? *explosions*

All those screens would give me ADD.

I'm with the assistant. A "selection of women"? Like clothes?

This reminds me of the movie "Secretary".

Her mother sounds tiring.

The poor boy! This sounds like child abuse, if you ask me.

Is his mother dead, then?

So he's okay with raping someone, but the jail part makes him reconsider his actions?

He really has no understanding of interpersonal relations, does he. And I guess no one was there to teach him the difference between right and wrong.

He has a security camera set up in her room? Is that legal?

Charles sounds like a selfish douchebag.

Does he have a bed in the control room or something?

Oh, the days before cell phones. I miss you.

I guessed that his mother must have been schizophrenic.

Hot troubled alpha male. A must read. Phoebe is in need of a well paying job to pay for hospital bills. Nero falls for her right from the start, but thinks he is in control of his feelings.

Can you leave your past behind? Nero hasn't left his house in ten years as he is unable to, his childhood was filled with nothing as he had been hidden away from the world and he never knew the truth about why?
Phoebe needs this job even though Nero pushes her buttons and she can't give in, she just has to stay calm and do what he asks. She knows that he is hiding something and it is destroying this wonderful man but he won't tell her and when she finds out, she understands and she knows that she can't fix him but she is still going to try.
They have found each other and they seem to belong together but Phoebe's past will destroy that as Nero realizes that he has lost her forever. Phoebe knows that it is time to move on even though she doesn't want to leave him she needs to be free and live her life as the last two years have taken their toll. Will Nero left her go even though he needs her? What a wonderful story filled with love, betrayal and just maybe a future.

Jackie Ashenden's The Billionaire Beast is a darkly delicious unique romance that drew me in fast and kept me up all night to finish the book. I absolutely loved the characters and loved that the plot line was different and not a typical beauty and the beast type story. It was that and more. Nero was dark, brooding and demanding and I fell in love with him right away and felt the terror that was his life so deeply, Pheobe is perfect for him and I felt their chemistry and connection. This author has done a great job with this book and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a gritty, unique romance. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Another smash hit from Ms Ashenden. Couldn't be more entertained! I stayed up all night for this one, too. It has also just occurred to me that the "fairytale" theme is (duh!) actual fairy tales. Beauty and the Beast. Clever! (I'm a new Mom, totally sleep deprived and slow on the uptake) Nero was smouldering and sexy, his story was heartbreaking and, at times, a little hard to read. So watching him overcome his horrible past to win the love of his life was immensely satisfying. Love me a happily-ever-after!!

The Billionaire Beast by Jackie Ashenden is a fairly short read, a great choice for anyone with limited time for reading. Ms Ashenden has delivered a well-written book, a nice smooth read. Nero and Phoebe's story will have your emotions see-sawing like mad. Ms Ashenden's characters are phenomenal and my favorite part of the book. There's plenty of drama, humor and sizzle to keep readers turning pages as fast as they can. I totally enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from the talented Jackie Ashenden in the future. The Billionaire Beast is book 2 of the Billionaire Fairy Tales Series but can easily be read as a standalone. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book that I received from NetGalley.

I am very satisfied with reading the title book and would love to order and read this book further.

I thought this title was an okay read, better in parts than others. The characters and story didn't grow on me until near the end, which saved the book for me. I will say this though, the insight of agoraphobia the H suffered through and overcame was on-point. I loved that aspect was included and explored in this story. It was an important and relevant take on a classic.

Phoebe is desperate. With mounting medical bills from her fiance being in a coma she must find a job. After two years of taking care of Charles without any improvement she is in financial straights. When she finds a job offered by a reclusive billionaire she will do anything to get it. After all it is better than stripping, right?

Nero de Santis has not left his house in over 10 years. He is an exacting boss and cannot keep an assistant. When Phoebe shows up for her interview he is intrigued. He finds he wants to ruffle her cool exterior. As the sparks fly between him and his assistant, he finds himself moving out of his comfort zone to spend time with her.

Phoebe knows that something horrible has happened to Nero in the past. She is determined to help him. She has been lonely for a long time and the way he looks at her makes her believe he sees her, when no one else has before. When Nero finally opens up to her about the horrors of his past she is heartbroken. But when when she is immediately puled away to Charles side, she doesn't know how they can find their way together.

Now in order to keep her, Nero must let her go and trust that she comes back to him. Strong male lead that can be dominating. This is the second in the series. I will say it made me want to go back and read the first.

WOW! another hot page turner by Ms. Ashenden. Great writing.

Another brilliant story from Ms. Ashenden. The story is grittier and more angst-filled than the typical romance. Nero is the caged beast who has so much insecurity in letting himself participate in the outside world you wonder if he can ever overcome it. All Phoebe wants to do is help people which I feel are due to her own insecurities. They both want to be loved and to love and their story is so compelling that I had a hard time putting the book down. The story reminded me of quote “If you love something set it free. If it comes back it's yours. If not, it was never meant to be”. Can Nero and Phoebe set each other free, can they find love? A touching love story.

I do love Ashenden's writing style. She gave a really good, contemporary twist to Beauty and the Beast. I liked how Nero seemed more normal in the beginning and as we learned more about him the more the Beast was visible. I loved Pheobe. She was "good people", very sweet and nurturing. Very likeable. Will definitely pick up this title for the library. I have a few ladies who would love it.